Hydraulic side wall coring tool



March 27, 1951 J. H. KIRBY, II 2,546,669

HYDRAULIC SIDE-WALL CORING TOOL Filed May 7, 1946 l I II ".1" 20 la lit ill: I H

JOHN H KIRBYH IN V EN TOR.

ATIORNE Y5.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC SIDE WALL CORING TOOL John H. Kirby, II, Houston, Tex.

Application May 7, 1946, Serial No. 667,798

9 Claims.

The invention relates to a tool to be lowered into a well bore and then operated hydraulically to obtain samples from the side wall of the bore. This application is a companion application to my co-pending applications, Serial No. 630,199 A and Serial No. 714,324.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a side wall sampling tool which is self contained in that the sample tubes are extended and retracted by hydraulic pressure from a motor and pump assembly utilizing liquid carried in the tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulically operable side wall sampling tool where the liquid used is contained in the tool and provision made for equalizing the pressure in the tool due to movement of such liquid during operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a side wall sampling tool having a chamber therein which carries a supply of liquid, a pump therefor and a motor to operate the pump so as to actuate the sample tubes. 7

It is also an object to provide side wall sampler tubes supported in a carrier so that the assembly thereof may be inserted and removed relative to the body of the tool.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a wire line hydraulically operable side wall sampler tool.

Another object is to provide a hydraulically operable side wall sampler tool where the pressure to extend the sampler tubes is applied to the tubes simultaneously.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily understood when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the upper end of a wire line hydraulically operable side wall sampler; V

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the lower end of the tool of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The tool is made up of a hollow body 2 having the chamber 3 therein. This body is arranged to be lowered and raised in the well bore by a combination support and electric cable 5 which extends through a cap 6 and is sealed therein by a plate I. This cap is affixed by the screws 8 to a fishing nipple l which is in turn threaded at II into the top of the body 2. The cable connects to a conduit I2 which extends through the cap 6 and nipple I0 into the chamber 3 so that the electric wires l3 may be connected to operate a motor l5.

The motor I5 drives a shaft l6 which operates a hydraulic pump 11 which has the pipes l9 and 20 connected thereto. These pipes are so arranged that when the pump is operated in one direction, liquid such as oil will be picked up by the upper end of the pipe l9, directed through the pump and discharged through the sample pipe I9 into the carrier 25 which supports the sample tubes 25 in the enclosing cylinders 21. Each tube has an enlarged end or piston 28 thereon so that when the pressure liquid is discharged through the passage 2'9 into the cylinder 21 behind the piston, the tube 26 will be forced laterally so as to extend from the housing 2 and be forced into the side wall of the well bore. Suitable core or sample catcher wires may be provided in the ends of the tubes 26 if desired. r

The succeeding tubes 26, arranged to extend alternately in opposite directions, will be caused to move out simultaneously with the first tube by virtue of the passages in which extend diagonally through the carrier 25 to the next succeeding cylinders 21.

When it is desired to retract the sample tubes, the motor l5 will be reversed by controls from the. surface through the cable 5 and liquid picked through the pipe l9 and discharged into the pipe 20 so as to exert a pressure through the passage 32 into the cylinders 21 around the sample tubes and against the forward edge 33 of the pistons 28. This pressure moves the sample tubes back into the cylinders and any excess liquid will be discharged through the check valve 35 in the top of the pipe 2! This return pressure is conducted to the succeeding cylinders by the passages 36.

In order to equalize the pressure within the tool due to the movement of the pressure liquid into and out of the pump and cylinders, a flexible diaphragm 40 is arranged in the shoe 4| threaded onto the lower end of the body '2. The ports 42 through this shoe cause the diaphragm to flex in response to changes in volume in the tool without contaminating the pressure liquid.

This diaphragm is held in position by the re tainer plate 44.

Attention is directed to the arrangement of the parts whereby "the motor, pump and tube carrier with the sample tubes therein may be passed into the housing or body 2 and the shoe then connected to close the bottom. Suitable packing 46 and retainer plates 41 form a seal about the sample tubes to prevent, leakage therearound. The side plates 50 inserted in the slots 5| space the motor, pump and carrier in their respective positions.

Broadly the invention contemplates a self container hydraulically operable wire line side wall sampler.

What is claimed is:

1. A side wall sampling tool for wells comprising a body, a ,fi-shing nipple thereon, a wire line head on "said nipple, a combination support and electric circuit cable extending through said head and nipple into said body, said body being hollow to form a reservoir for pressure liquid, :a motor in said body, a hydraulic pump also in said body and connected for operation by said motor, a sampler tube carrier in said body, a plurality of alternately oppositely facing core tubes in said carrier, a cylinder for pressure fluid tenclosing each core tube, a connection from said pump to said cylinders so that said tubes will be forced laterally from said body by liquid pressure'to engage and sample the Wall of the well bore, and

means to retract said tubes after the cores have been taken.

2. A side wall sampling tool for wells comprising a body, a fishing nipple thereon, a wire line head on said nipple, a combination support and electric circuit cable extending through saidhead and nipple into said body, said body being hollow to ,form a reservoir vforpressure liquid, a motor :in said body, a hydraulic pump also .in said body and connected ior operation by said motor, a

sampler tube carrier in said housing, a plurality of alternately oppositely facing core :tubes in said carrier, a cylinder for pressure fluid enclosin each core tube, .a connection from said pump to said cylinders so that said tubes will be forced laterally from .said housing byliquid pressure to engage and sample the wall of the well bore,;said

,motor and pump being reversible .to pump liquid :into the oppositeendsof said cylinders :to-return said core tubes.

3. A side wall sampling .tool 'for wells comprising a body, a fishing nipple thereon, a wire line head on said nipple, a combination support and electric circuit cablelextending through said head and nipple into said body, said body being hollow to form a reservoir for pressure liquid, a :motor in said body, a hydraulic pump also intsaid body and connected for operation by said motor, a sampler tube carrier in said housing, a plurality of alternately oppositelyfacing core tubes in said carrier, a cylinder .for pressure fluid enclosing each core tube, a connection from said pump to said cylinders so that said tubes will be forced laterally from said housing by liquid pressure to engage and sample the wall of the Well bore, said motor and pump being reversible, and a second connection from said pump .to said opposite :ends of said cylinders .to directliquid to the cylinders to retract said core tubes.

4. A side wall sampler including a body, a plurality of sampler tubes, a carrier for said .tubes disposed in said body, a cylinder about each tube, a piston on each tube, means in the body to direct liquid under pressure into said cylinders to either side of said tub-e piston .to extend or :retract said tubes, said means including a reversible motor, a reversible vpumpdriven thereby, and-connections for the pump so as to pick up liquid 4 from within said body and force such liquid into the cylinders.

5. A side wall sampler including a body, a plurality of sampler tubes, a carrier for said tubes disposed in said body, a cylinder about each tube, a piston on each tube, means in the body to direct liquid under pressure into said cylinders to either side of said tube piston to extend or retract said tubes, said means including a reversible motor, a pump driven "thereby, connections for the reversible pump so as to pick up liquid from within said body and force such liquid into the cylinders, and a diaphragm carried by said body to equalize the internal and external pressures by movement in response to the high pressure applied through said housing.

5. .In a side wall sampler a body, sample tubes movable laterally therefrom, a cylinder enclosing each :tube, a liquid chamber in said body, a reversible pump to pick up liquid from said chamber, a reversible motor to drive said pump, connections from said pump to said cylindersso that the pumped liquid discharges .into the cylinders to extend the samplers, and another set of connections from said cylinders to the pump to conduct liquid to retract the tubes when said pump is reversed.

'7. In a side wall sampler a body, sample tubes movable laterally therefrom, a cylinder enclosing each tube, a liquid chamber in said body, .a reversible pump to pick up liquid from said chamber, a reversible motor to drive said pump,

connections from-said pump to said cylinders so that the pumped liquid discharges into the cylinders to extend the'samplers, and-another set of connections from said cylinders to the pump to conduct liquid to retract the tubes when said pump is reversed, and a diaphragm insaid chamber exposed to the well pressure and adapted to movein accordance with the :variationsin volume of liquid in said chamber.

8. A wire line sidewall sampler including a combination support and electric cable, :a :body, hydraulically movable sampler tubes therein, .an electric reversible motor in the body connected to said cable, a reversible hydraulic pump in the body connected for operation by said motor, and hydraulic connections from :said :pump comprising tubes so that liquid pumpedby said pump will extend or retract said tubes.

.9. A wire line side wall sampler including a combination support and electric cable, a body,

hydraulically movable sampler tubes therein, an

electric reversible motor in the body connectedito said cable, a reversible hydraulic pump in the body connected for operation by said motor, and hydraulic connections from said pump comprising tubes so that liquid pumped bysaid pump will extender retract said tubes simultaneously.

JOHN H. #:KIRBY, II.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are :of record .in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,635,340 Perry .et ,al. July .12, 1927 2,067,693 Carey Jan. 12.,

2,327,023 'Danner Aug. 17,1943 

